Spot or hill marker for seed-planting machines.



G. 0. HOPPE.

SPOT'OH HILL MARKER FOR SEED PLANTI NG MACH INES. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 26. 19l8.

1 ,279,546. Patented Sept. 24, 1918.

GEORGE onijr'rn, or CHARLOTTE, innnvois.

sror on HILL MARKER FOR SEED-PLANTINGllVIACHINES.

Specification of Letters latent. S t 24 19i8 7 Application filed February 26,1918. Serial No. 219,199. g 1

To all whom it may concern: v

Be it known that I, GEORGE O. 'HOPPE, a citizen of the United States-and a resident of the village of Charlotte, county of Livingston and Stateof Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spot or Hill Markers 'for Seed-Planting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in seed planting machines, and more particularly to the spot or hill marker used in connection therewith, the'present application be I in a division of my pending application Serial #167,824, filed M y 10, 1917, for Seed Planting Machines.

The object of my inventionis the production of a marking device of the character mentioned, which will be of durable and economical construction and highly efficient in use. Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafterdescribed and claimed;

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which;

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the rearward end portion of a seed planting machine equipped with a marking device, embodying the invention the being shown in section,

Fig. 2, a rear elevation of the ground- 7 engaging element and the adjacent portion of the arm carrying the same, and

Fig. 3, an enlarged detail section taken substantially on line 33 Fig. 2.

The preferred form of construction, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises an elongated arm 4 swingingly connected at 4 with the rearward end of the frame 5 in connection with which the device is employed. The arrangement is such that the arm d may be swung to extend from either side of the machine in order to effect marking of the ground at either side thereof, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

The outer end of the arm 4 is enlarged and flattened, and formed therein is an arcuate slot 7 in which is arranged a vertically disposed ground-engaging member or marker 8. Said member 8 is formed midway its ends with a flange or lip 9, which is pivotally connected at 10 with the portion 6 of arm 4, said ground-engaging element portion 6 being provided with a rearwardly opening slot 11 to accomodate' said lip .9. The arrangement is such, aswill be seen, that the memberB is adapted foroscillatory movement about the axis 10, that is about a vertical axis,when the'arm 4 is in horizontal or operative position. I 7 Marker 8 is normally held in 'central p,osi'-' t1on, that is, in a position inwhi'ch the en large'd or widened ends thereof are positioned parallel'with the direction of movement of the machine, by means of helical compression springs- 12 which engage against opposite sides of said arm, being interposed between said sides and the corresponding endsofslot'7. I w 5,

- Oscillation ofthe marker 8 aboutthe axis 9; The cord .13 passes along the arm l 1 0 is efiectedby means of a cord'13 which is connected with the rearward end of the lip '75 through guide loops or eyes 14, thesame thence passing forwardly to the front endof the machine where the same is-operatively connected with tripping mechanismns'sociated' with the-'gsee'd dropping mechanism of the planten-as will be readily'u'nder'stood by those skilled in the art. A turnbuckle l5 is interposed in the cord 13 to afford adjustment, anda weight 16 is provided 'at-the outer end of the arm-4 to insure the sinking V of'the end of the marker into the'ground, in the operation of the planter. l

The arrangement is such as will be seen, that as the machine travels along the ground, the lower end of the marker 8 will pierce the ground and form a straight line parallel with the directionof movement, of the ma chine. As the seed droppingmechanism is operated, the cord 13 will be simultaneously jerked or pulled with the result that the marker 8 will be given a sudden rocking or oscillatory movement about the vertical axis 10 causing the formation of a sort of jog or break in the line made by the marker, the

jogs thus made marking the spots or hills identifying the position of the deposit, of

seeds. The arm 4:, being swingingly mounted may, as above pointed out, be positioned to extend from either side of the machine,

7 and the marker 8 being double ended, the

marking device will be as effectual at either side of the machine, which is of course essential in order to cooperate with the ma chine in traveling in one direction and then in the other. I

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. 1, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but,

desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described .my invention what I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 2- 1. In a seed planter, a marking device comprising an-armcarried by the planter; a ground-marking element mounted on said arm for oscillatory movement abouta vertie cal axis; means for oscillating saidgroundmarking element about said aXis, and'means for yieldingly holding said ground-marking element in central position, substantially as described. 1

2. In a seed planter, a marking device comprising an arm carried by the planter; a ground-marking element mounted on said arm for oscillating movement about a vertis cal axis; .means for oscillating said groundmarking element about said axis; and re.- silient means engaging against opposite sides of said groundemarking element for holding the same in central position, substantially as described;

3. In a seed planter, a -marking device, comprising an arm carried by the planter; an elongated vertically disposed groundmarking element; a rearwardly projecting lip on said ground-marking element connected with said arm so as to permit of oscillatory movement of said element about. a

vertical axis; and means engaging with said lip for oscillating said ground-marking element, substantially as described.

4. Ina seed planter, a marking device, comprising an arm carried by the planter; an elongated vertically disposed groundmarking element; rearWardly projecting lip on said ground-marking element con nected with said arm to permit of oscillatory movement of said element abouta vertical axis; means engaging with said lip for 0s cillating said ground-marking element; and

tory movement thereof, and to accommo date said resilient means, substantially as described. l

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specificationin the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

e I GEORGE O. HOPPE.

dWitnesseszf H l JOHN .BRosNAHA J M. FISCHER.

Copies of this patent may he obtained for five cents each, by addressing the fGommissioncr of Patents,

Washington, D. G. v 

